Tim and I rarely use the word "discipline" when we talk about parenting. Don't get us wrong, we're not the kind of parents who just let our kids run amuck, but... We don't desire "quaking instant obedience or marionettes of fear." We want our children to be kind-hearted question-askers who love God and love others. […]
What do you do when a friend posts on Facebook that she has the flu? Or perhaps you hear through the grapevine that your neighbor has the stomach bug? Since a 24-hour virus of some kind just passed through our house, I thought I'd take a moment to record what kind of items would be […]
There was one redemptive moment of the night: Driving off as husband & wife. Tim & I together. Going to sleep in his arms and knowing I would wake there in the morning. THAT was magic - peace. Peace is the word I used to describe our marriage in that 1st year. Peace is the […]
San Diego. Summer 2001. --- While vacationing with my family in California, I stopped in at a ritzy bridal boutique in an upscale mall. Almost instantly, I saw IT. I don't remember exactly what the dress looked like, but I remember it made me feel like I was walking on air. I don't remember what was […]
The girls were splashing in a plastic baby pool on the grass in our backyard. Pink swimsuits. Blonde heads, curls springing up from the moisture. Ocean-blue eyes, glittering. My 4-year-old was bossing. My 18-month-old was stepping in and out of the pool, her pudgy-but-still-itty-bitty thighs making my heart jump with delight. I looked at them […]
What do you do when a friend is in a tough spot? (Miscarriage. Morning Sickness. Military deployment. Lost job. Recovering from new baby. Death in the family. Bad day. Etc.) If you are like most people, you will call up or send a text or write on his/her facebook wall, "Let me know if I […]